La Verità Esce, i Problemi Hanno Riparato
by BellsConlon
Summary: The twists and turns of a relationship, the unanswered questions, the unspoken feelings. Time comes when things must be said. L'amore è paziente, l'amore è gentile, l'amore è il lavoro. Chameron. Season 5. Post Big Baby. Oneshot. R&R.


La Verità Esce, i Problemi Hanno Riparato

Disclaimer: All characters affiliated with House, M.D. are property of David Shore and Fox, along with episode plotlines.

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Chameron, Chase/Cam

* * *

I don't know why I woke up; it could have been because I had countless numbers of thoughts and unanswered questions swirling around in my head before I fell asleep. Or it could have been because my boyfriend let out a loud snore, causing me to awake with a start.

I rolled over onto my right side, my eyes falling on said loud boyfriend with a smile. His blond hair was spread over the pillow, stubble on his face from lack of time to shave, his mouth open, the moonlight splaying across his taught, shirtless torso. I smiled and kissed his chest gently before shifting my body and sitting upright.

I knew I needed sleep; after working 36 hours straight in the ER, on top of the day's doings, that was a given fact. But my mind was spinning and I needed to think.

I pushed the covers off of my, shivering as I stood and the cold air hit my bare body. I knelt down, with only the moonlight as a guide, to search for a shirt, preferably one of Chase's, as it would cover more.

I felt only carpet under my fingertips and remembered with a slight smirk that our clothes now littered my entryway. Rob and I were that efficient. I shook my head at the memory from hours earlier and crossed the room to Rob's side of the bed, pulling open a drawer, feeling cotton under my fingertips. I pulled out the clothing and slipped it over my head, the fact dawning on my as the large Princeton Plansboro-emblazed t-shirt slid over my body that it was in fact my boyfriend's drawer.

I quietly padded out of the room, my thoughts shifting to the day I had "made space" in my life for a man I had never possibly thought that I would fall for, to the day when it had hit me in full force that _I _was the one in relationships with the issues, the brokenness, not the only way around, as both House and I had assumed.

I left the room light out as I entered the living room, opting instead for the table side lamp before crossing into the adjoining kitchen to put on a pot of coffee. If I was up, I might as well make use of the team and get as much of the good stuff as I could in my system before I was back at the hospital, reduced to drinking cup after cup of the watery liquid provided by the cafeteria.

I settled myself on the couch, legs drawn up to my chest in feeble attempt to keep warm, a steaming mug held in one hand, the TV flashing with a rerun of some stupid reality show depicting the life of a washed up, egotistical moron, when I heard a quiet laugh behind me.

"Surprised you're not cleaning up our mess," an accented voice commented wryly. I turned to find my boyfriend yawning, his hair awry, clad in boxers that had been on the floor by the door last time I remembered yanking them off.

"You _do _have clean clothing here," I reminded. "And yet you still wear the same consistent pair of boxers. Real sanitary."

Rob yawned again and made his way further into the room, crossing into the kitchen, calling, "Somehow I continue to lose clothing, and when I look, most of it I find in your drawers."

I rolled by eyes but blushed; there was complete fact to his statement.

"It's comfortable," I defended as he reappeared with a mug, steam rising from the top. I shifted my position to make room for him. He slid next to me and I leaned against his broad shoulder, closing my eyes for a moment, allowing exhaustion to wash over me. This action didn't go unnoticed.

"If you're tired, why are you up?" Rob asked gently. "Honestly, you had a long day, about to start another equally long and draining one in a few hour's time. It _is _okay to sleep, Allison."

I nodded, my eyes still closed.

"You didn't have to get up," I said, resting my chin on the plane of his shoulder. "I tried to be quiet."

"You threw the covers off me," Chase explained and I bit my lip sheepishly. "Plus, I knew when you leave the bed, even subconsciously. And I know you're tired. Therefore leaving one reason why you're up: you needed to think."

Chase knew me far to well; he had always been labeled by House as the pretty boy, the begrudging doctor, the unobservant. But Robert Chase was brilliant; he saw sometimes what others didn't, quietly viewing from the side. He had quietly watched me for nearly four years before I was able to relax and give into my feelings.

"You caught me," I said. "That's exactly why I'm up."

"Care to share?" Chase asked. After confronting me about his true feelings about our relationship, brought out by an agoraphobic patient, Chase had tried to be more forward and verbal with me. I knew he unspokingly wished the same in return.

I sighed.

"It was just a long day," I said in a heavy voice. "Cuddy is truly an extraordinary women for all of the crap that she puts up with."

"By 'crap,' I assume you're referring to House," Chase guessed. He shifted his position to allow himself a better view of my face. "Right?"

I nodded heavily, leaning back against the cushions.

"He's a pain," I complained. "Not that I didn't know that, but what he puts that poor woman through! What he put _me _through. I could've never done that job and kept my sanity intact. It's not possible."

"You did an excellent job," Chase consoled. "Really. A woman's life was saved. At the end of the day, that is what matters. Plus, I really loved the outfit."

"But the unethical things I did to her," I murmured as Chase kissed my neck, causing a small gasp to escape my lips.

"They weren't unethical," Chase opposed. "Medically a bit insane, yes, but it's House. I'd worry he was sick if he didn't suggest inane ideas. _You _didn't do them, anyway."

"But I approved them," I reminded. "In the end, the blame really does fall with me."

"The blame that you saved her life?" Chase questioned. "Really, Allison, there's other problems to take the blame for much bigger than that."

I moaned and put my hands to my temples.

"I just am making myself sick over the fact that I failed," I said. "The fact that I'm weak."

Chase looked at me pointedly.

"You are neither of those things and you know it," he said. "Really, Al-"

"I can't say no to House."

The statement came out in a whisper but it was strong enough to cut Rob off.

"I can't say no," I continued. "It's House. I can't."

Chase looked away from me for a moment and nodded.

"I guessed something like this would come up after today," Chase murmured. "I was happy for you, but I was scared something like this would happen."

"Something like what?"  
"You realizing you still held feelings for him."

The statement had been a source of battle over the course of our relationship, one that set me off. Even now I felt the pent up anger that no one believed me bubbly, but it settled when I saw the hurt, instead of the usual accusation, in Rob's eyes.

"No, no and _no,_" I said, taking his hand. "That is not at _all _what I meant. Believe me, I have _no _feelings for him! I thought we've gone over this."

"We have," Chase agreed. "I just-I'm sorry, but I always get on edge! I believe you, I really want to but-"

I covered my face with my hands and sighed, slightly embarrassed by what I said next.

"I actually had this whole conversation with Foreman about this," I admitted. "About us. Right around the time when we were treating the agoraphobe. Right before I came to tell you I had made space, actually."

"You did?" Chase asked, clearly surprised.

"I did," I confirmed. "I was so scared, so confused! Eric was there, though, through the period of when I liked him, through the time with you. He was an unbiased outside source and I need answers."

"I'm not judging you for talking to someone," Chase said. "Honestly. But go on."

"I asked him what he thought of you and I," I went on. "What he thought of me, and my feelings. You know what he told me? He thinks I never even truly like House. There was attraction, yes, but it was more infatuation, he told me. House claims I like people who are broken; Eric says I need the control because controlling someone gives me some satisfaction that I wasn't giving myself. I wasn't accepting myself, or something."

"And the weaker the person, the more vulnerable, the easier the control," Chase finished her thought. "Foreman's not a stupid guy, I'll give him that."

"He thinks I saw House as a challenge or something," I explained. "Maybe it makes sense, I don't know, but I don't have feelings for him!"

"I believe you," Chase answered. "I always have. But it is still unnerving sometimes. What did he say about us, though? I'm curious."

I smiled, unable to meet his eye as I continued.

"He thinks," I began, remembering how awkward Eric had acted when telling me this, "that you weren't broken or at all controllable, that you almost stripped my guard down and made these feelings come to surface, feelings that I didn't want to deal with."

"Because I was just so perfect," Chase joked, earning him a slap on the chest. "But seriously, do I make you feel that weird?"  
I sighed again.

"I've always had to be the adult," I said. "Growing up, I was the oldest, so mature. I took care of myself, my little brother, like I was the mother. And then, with my husband, I dealt with his medical affairs and his best friend who was crashing on the couch, trying to find him a job while keeping myself in school. I guess I just want someone to take care of me, for once, to love me and not go away, to not be broken, to not have issues..."

My voice broke before I realized; I hated to cry. I hated showing weakness. I had more issues to deal with than I knew. Chase brought that out in me and I told him so. But I was grateful for it.

"Hey." He pulled me close. "If it's to much-"

"No. You reached out, I pushed you away, I reached for you, I was distant." I his my face in his chest. "I want this to work because you are what I need. You bring so many flaws out in me, but they are flaws that I can fix, I _need _to fix. I'm broken here, and you're the one who will stand by and see me through when I have to fix myself for a change."

"Foreman said all that?" Chase asked with a small laugh. "Really?"

I sniffed.

"Most, yeah," I said. "He's really perceptive. I figured some stuff out on my own, not being a complete idiot, but yes, it was him for the most part."

Chase snorted.

"What a girl."

I smiled and giggled.

"Yes, for a former car thief he has amazing compassion levels," I agreed. "And I am sorry. I should've told you sooner."

"It's hard for you, Ali, I get that," Rob said, lifting my chin. "But you're beginning to try and I can't ask for anything more than for you to continue what you're doing and keep me in the loop. I'll be here for you."

I truly hated cliches; chick flicks drove me crazy. As compassionate as I was and delicate with telling patients life-changing news, I hated that in my own life. I never cried if I could help it, never became sappy or stereotypical blond. But in this moment, breaking all of the rules I had set for myself of never succumbing to teen movie-like behavior, seemed appropriate. Everything I had said to Chase didn't feel fake or shallow, it felt true. To an outsider, I am truly convinced it would seem cheesy, out of character for the both of us. It was a moment, though, that only Chase and I would truly ever be able to grasp.

"Do I have to like, sing now or something? From what I gather, that tends to happen in movies now days." Of course, though, leave it to my Rob to turn a serious moment into a joke time.

"Oh, yes," I played on. "Complete with extensive choreography and jazz squares. They're all the rage."

"Kiddy movies playing again in the ER?" Chase guessed. I laughed.

"Of course!" With the amount of accidents and drunken parents arriving in the ER over the holidays, the nursing staff had found that playing said cheesy, stereotyped, happy-go-lucky movies was an effective way of calming children down while their parent was treated, or they themselves were being stitched up.

"I find it cute," Chase said, wrapping his arms around my waist, pulling me closer. I twisted my body and leaned back against his chest. "I caught you singing some song the other day in the shower."

I turned to look up at him in suspicious shock.

"Can I ask what you were doing in the women's bathroom?" I questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Looking for you," Rob replied with a shrug, as if the answer were obvious. "But I decided you needed your space. I know you showering at the hospital generally means something is bothering you that you didn't want to deal with at home."

"Why do you have to know me so well?" I demanded. "Really. It's quite unnerving sometimes."

Chase bent his head down to kiss my neck, his hair tickling my cheek.

"I do apologize," he murmured between kisses. "Feel free to yell at me anytime I comment on your slight predictability. I probably deserve it."

Under normal circumstances, I would retaliate and continue the conversation while we were both focused on the concept of 'us' and not on a patient. But my thoughts were slowing clouding over as Chase began to kiss my sensitive point.

"You do," I managed to gasp out. "Completely. I should-'

I sighed in content and he kissed my mouth.

"Yell at me everyday, need be," he murmured as I laced my hands through his hair. "We always work it out." He reached for the hem of my shirt.

And the funny part was, no matter how big the fight, we always seem to.

* * *

I hope to post further House fics, possibly do a story when Season 5 wraps. Chase and Cameron are such an interesting couple with many speculations over Cameron's true feelings and motives and I hope this had captured how she feels. I believe Cameron has a bit of a control issue and she is slowly starting to let her guard down with Robert.

Criticism is welcome and ideas for what I should further write about is appreciated as well.

The title, translated from Italian, means "The Truth Comes Out, The Problems Fixed."

Thanks! R&R, if you please.

-youMEANeverything14


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